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Parent Department University of Florida

Pre-Health and IA

There are many IA students who plan to go to a graduate program in the health professions such as medical school, dental school, or one of the many other health profession programs available. We encourage you to explore all of your options if you are interested in a career in the health professions.

What Major Should I Choose?

Professional schools have no preference for any particular type of major. While you can be almost any major and be pre-health, there are a several IA majors that include some or all of the required prerequisite courses that you may wish to consider. Here are common majors for students interested in pre-health:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics
  • Entomology

Regardless of your major, it’s important to work closely with your academic advisors to develop a plan for the completion of your major, the IA minor, and pre-health prerequisite courses.

What are the Prerequisite Courses?

Most professional schools including medical, dental, veterinary, optometry, and pharmacy require at a minimum:

  • One year of General Chemistry: CHM2045 and CHM2046 with labs
  • One year of Organic Chemistry: CHM2210, CHM2211, and CHM2211L
  • One semester of Biochemistry: BCH4024 or CHM3218
  • One year of General Biology: BSC2010 and BSC2011 with labs
  • One year of Physics: PHY2053 or 2048 and PHY2054 or 2049 with labs
  • One year of English
  • One year of Math (Calculus and Statistics)

Please refer to the Prerequisite chart on the pre-health website for additional requirements for each profession. For additional pre-health forms and handouts please visit the Academic Advising Center. You should also always check the requirements for the individual schools you may be applying to.

Who Can Help Advise My Pre-Health Academic Plans?

If you have any questions regarding your pre-health academic plans, please meet with a Pre-Health Advisor. You should also check out the following: 

Please be aware that most students pursuing pre-health professions plan to take a growth year between their undergraduate studies and starting their graduate professional program. This is particularly common for students who are on UF’s Spring-Summer calendar but is also common for students on UF’s Fall-Spring calendar.  

During a growth year, students are directly involved with their field of study or profession through internships, research labs, jobs, shadowing, etc. Your Pre-Health Advisor and Innovation Advisor can assist you in brainstorming how to best use your time between degrees.  

What to Consider if I’m a Pre-health Student in the IA Program?

  • Use your Fall semesters to get an in-depth volunteer or shadowing experience. If you will be in your home town, it is a great opportunity to shadow your family’s physician (dentist, veterinarian, etc.) or volunteer in a local hospital or assisted-living facility. Shadowing professionals in different areas of healthcare allows you to explore all of the options that are available to you.
  • Consider studying abroad in a future fall semester. Health-care professionals need to be culturally competent, and living abroad for a semester can help you learn about other cultures, practice language skills, and enhance your world view.
  • Attend the Pre-Health session at Preview, watch the Pre-Health 101 workshop on the Pre-Health website, and join the Pre-Health listserv.
  • Meet with a Pre-Health advisor in the Academic Advising Center during your first spring term. They can help you develop an academic plan that includes the prerequisite courses for your profession.